Braised Chicken with Rice
Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
This is a classic in farm houses through out France! Find an older, stewing hen, if you can. They have more flavor and the long cooking time will make them tender. Not a roasting hen, they're too big to fit into most pots. A broiler/fryer will work as well. This will be enough for 2 meals.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 onion
- 6 medium
carrots
- 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) white wine
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbs water
- Rice
- 1 cup (6.6oz, 190gr) Basmati rice
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
Instructions:
- The Chicken
- Chop onion.
- Peel and cut carrots in half the long way (I cut them the in half the short way first - it makes it easier). Then slice the carrots into 1/4" (.6cm) half circles (the short way).
- Heat oil in a pot or Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken.
- Add the chicken and brown lightly on all sides. Remove.
- Add onion and carrots and sauté 5 minutes, just until the onion starts to get tender.
- Place the chicken on top of the onion and carrots.
- Add the wine, stock and herbs.
- Sprinkle chicken with paprika.
- Cover and simmer over low heat (you want small bubble breaking the surface) for 2 1/4 hours.
- 20 minutes before chicken is done start the rice.
- The rice
- Using a small ladle remove 1 1/2 cups of liquid from the chicken.
- Put it into a saucepan along with the rice and 1/2 cup additional chicken stock. Don't worry if you get a bit of onion with the stock.
- Cover and cook over low heat until rice is done.
- To finish
- Remove the chicken.
- With a slotted spoon remove all of the carrots to a large bowl.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water.
- Turn heat up under the stock remaining in pot. Add cornstarch and thicken.
- Add the rice to the carrots and combine.
- Spoon the rice and carrots onto a platter.
- Slice the chicken and arrange on the rice.
- Serve, gravy on the side.
and for the leftovers:
Baked Chicken and Rice
Total time: 25 minutes
This is a simple casserole made from leftovers. If someone ate the rest of the chicken but you still have the rice and carrots, just substitute 2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked.
Ingredients:
- leftover rice and carrots
- leftover chicken
- leftover gravy / sauce
- 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60gr) Greek or plain yogurt
Instructions:
- Slice the chicken.
- Put the rice and carrots in a baking dish.
- Lay the chicken on top.
- Mix the leftover gravy with the yogurt, mustard, herbs and pour over the top.
- Cover and bake until hot, 350F (175C), about 20 minutes if everything came from the fridge.